At the first sign of stroke, you need experts who can promptly diagnose and treat. The experienced neurologists at Mercy Downtown and Mercy Southwest provide coordinated response and specialized stroke services 24 hours a day.
Our Primary Stroke Centers at Mercy Hospital Downtown and Mercy Hospital Southwest are certified by The Joint Commission. The Primary Stroke Center certification is awarded to hospitals fully capable of acute stroke treatment, including administering TPA, conducting thorough evaluations, and providing individualized care. These centers are staffed by qualified stroke specialists, have dedicated intensive care units, and provide rehabilitation services.
A stroke is the result of sudden loss of blood flow to the brain due to blood vessel blockage or clot burst. Loss of blood flow deprives the brain of oxygen and glucose (sugar), and causes rapid buildup of waste products that injure or kill brain cells. When brain cells are injured or die, the bodily functions they control such as speech or use of limbs are impaired or lost. Stroke can also affect your memory, ability to understand and emotions.
Watch for these signs and symptoms if you think you or someone else may be having a stroke:
When a patient shows signs of a possible stroke, a Stroke Alert is called, quickly putting the wheels in motion to assemble a specialized team, consult a neurologist, and perform a CT scan to diagnose the type of stroke. Depending on the type of stroke, patients may receive medication to quickly dissolve the clot and restore blood flow to the brain.
B.E. F.A.S.T. stands for:
BALANCE: Is there a sudden loss of balance or coordination?
EYES: Are there sudden vision changes?
FACE: Is the face or smile lopsided?
ARMS: Does one arm droop?
SPEECH: Trouble speaking or is speech slurred?
TIME: Time to call 911 – If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get the person to the hospital immediately. Check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared.
There are three types of stroke:
From U.S. News & World Report: A hospital's stroke score is based on multiple data categories, including patient survival, volume, discharging to home and more. Over 6,000 hospitals were evaluated and eligible hospitals received one of three ratings -- high performing (1,053 hospitals), average (915 hospitals) or below average (1,156 hospitals) -- with the balance either not offering the service or performing too few of the procedures to be rated. Hospitals that earned a high performing rating were significantly better than the national average.
Many risk factors can be controlled or treated to reduce your chance of having a stroke:
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As a Joint Commission certified primary stroke center: